Continuous bleaching apparatus



y 2, 1951 H. A. DAMERON 2,554,090

CONTINUOUS BLEA CHING APPARATUS Filed June 21, 1947 I 9 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTO May 22, 1951 l H. A. DAMERON 2,5

CONTINUOUS BLEACHING APPARATUS Filed June 21, 1947 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 May22, 1951 H. A. DAMERON CONTINUOUS BLEACHING APPARATUS 9 Sheets-Sheet 4Filed June 21, 1947 May 22, 1951 H. A. DAMERON 2,554,090

CONTINUOUS BLEACHING APPARATUS Filed June 21 1947 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Haney,7. 0/4/1620 I N V EN TOR.

HTTOE'NE) 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 H. A. DAMERON CONTINUOUS BLEACHING APPARATUSMay 22, 1951 Filed June 21, 1947 May 22, 1951 H. A. DAMERON CONTINUOUSBLEACHING APPARATUS 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed June 21, 1947 HENEY 14.04/7690 [N V EN TOR.

a a a n n 9 ay 2-2} 1951 H. A. DAMERON 2,554,090

CONTINUOUS BLEACHING APPARATUS Filed June 21, 1947 Sheets-Sheet 8HTTOEA/E/ y 1951 H. A. DAMERON 2,554,090

commuous BLEACHING APPARATUS Filed June 21, 1947 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 N u QQ a a Q g g L \5 25} s Q & T 2 l Q N 0 Q. Q g x 'z N f 1 E Q m was a Q Qf/ENE) A 019M520 INVENTOR. s9

Patented May 22, 1951 CONTINUOUS BLEACHING APPARATUS Henry A. Dameron,Greenville, S. 0., assignor to Greenville Steel & Foundry Company,Greenville, S. 0., a corporation of South Carolina Application June 21,1947, Serial No. 756,254

7 Claims.

This invention relates to continuous bleaching apparatus and moreespecially to a continuous bleaching apparatus employing a J-box andwherein the cloth, after being treated with bleaching materials, ispassed through a steam chamber or boxes and then deposited into a J- boxwhile live steam is being forced into the steam chamber and into theJ-box for the cloth passing therethrough.

In apparatus of this type, the steam chamber or box into which the clothis introduced before it is deposited into the J-box is provided withdriven grooved pulleys or rollers over which the cloth passes and thesepulleys are driven by shafts which extend through the sides of the steambox and due to expansion and contraction of the steam box in which thepulleys are mounted, there is a certain amount of wear which takes placewhich causes a breathing of the steam box and allows escape of steamtherefrom and entrance of air thereinto.

It is an object of this invention to provide a stuffing gland orflexible diaphragm through which these shafts supporting the pulleyspass to the exterior of the steaming box so that they can be drivenWithout any leakage whatever between the shafts and the openings in thewalls of the steam box.

The cloth is usually introduced into one end of the steaming box andpasses over a pulley and then passes downwardly through a tube and overanother pulley and then upwardly through another tube and over thesecond pulley in the steam box from whence it is led into a largerportion of the steam box over an elongated driven roller and through areciprocating pot eye which moves the cloth laterally back-and-forth asit is being fed through the apparatus, and the cloth then passes througha suitable elongated funnelshaped member which oscillates so that thecloth is moved back-and-forth as it is deposited into the longer neck orthe upper end of a J-box, and is moved forwardly and rearwardly also todeposit it substantially in a figure 8 form. The cloth is deposited inthis J-box and the steam which is forced into one end of the steamingchamber follows the cloth and passes into the upper end of the J-box andis forced through the cloth in the J-box out through the exit end of theJ-box where the cloth passes through a suitable opening which is just ofthe right size to permit the cloth to be passed therethrough without anysubstantial leakage of steam.

At the exit end of the J-box a suitable venting apparatus is employed toprevent condensation of the steam as it passes through the vent from Ifalling back onto the cloth in the J-box, but is delivered to theexterior of the exit end of the J-box.

Furthermore, by providing the flexible dia-- phragms covering enlargedholes in the side walls of the steaming box, not only is leakage betweenthe shafts supporting the grooved pulleys eliminated, but the shafts canbe removed laterally through the enlarged holes in the J-box, and thepulleys can be disconnected from the shafts and removed through the topof the box when a substitution of pulleys is necessary.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objectswill appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a continuous bleaching apparatus withwhich the invention is associated with the diaphragms and other.

parts omitted;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus omitting portions of theJ-box;

Figure 3 is an elevation looking from the lower side of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an elevation looking from the uppe side of Figure 2; a

Figure 5 is an end view with parts broken away and looking at theleft-hand end of Figure2;

Figure 6 is an isometric view of one of the stuffing glands associatedwith the apparatus;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 1-1 in Figure6; I

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line. 8-3 inFigure 2;

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 99 in Figure8;

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line Ill-4D inFigure 2;

Figure 11 is an elevation looking at the lower right-hand portion ofFigure l and from along the line llll in Figure 1;

Figure 12 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line i2!2 inFigure 11;

Figure 13 is a sectional plan view taken along the line I3I3in Figure12;

Figure 14 is a section along line I l-l4 in Figure 2;

Figure 15 is a vertical sectional schematic view of the continuousbleaching apparatus.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral Ill indicates asuitable platform supported by any suitable structure such as aplurality of vertically disposed angle bars with reinforcing strutstherebetween and which is not shown. This platform I is provided withrailings II and mounted on this platform I0 is a steaming chamber I 2into which cloth I3 in rope form is admitted through a pot-eye I 4.Supported on the platform I0 are longitudinal struts I6 and IT boundtogether by transverse struts I8, I9 and 20. These struts I and I I aresupported at their end in spaced relation to the platform III by meansof angle supports 2|. Disposed between and secured to the proximatefaces of cross angles I8 and I9 are horizontally disposed angle bars 23and 24.

The bars 23 and 24 have mounted on the upper surface thereof rectangularsupports 26 and 2 1. Spanning the distance between the upright portionsof these supports 26 and 21 are horizontally disposed angle bars 28 and29. On the upper ends of these supports 26 and 21 are mounted bearings3I and 32 in which shaft 33 and 34' are rotatably mounted; These shaftsproject through suitable openings 35 and 36 in the side walls of the boxI2. The proximate ends of the shafts 33 and 34' have plates 31 and 38welded thereto which are adapted to be secured by'means of screws 39 and40 to a pulley 4!.

The shafts 33 and 34 in steaming boxes of this type heretofore havepassed through a small opening in the side walls of the box I2, and aheretofore stated, due to contraction and expansion of the box, therewould be a wear take place around the shafts 33 and 34, and this wouldadmit atmosphere to the interior of the box I2. In order to eliminatethis disadvantage, there is secured to the angle bars 28' and 29 achannel or angle bar 45, the structure on both sides of the box to bepresently described being the same and like reference characters willapply. To thischannel bar 45 are secured uprising plates 46' which havean opening near the upper end thereof through which the shafts 33 and 34pass. Around this opening is welded a sleeve member 41. Disposed aroundthe shafts 33 and 34' is a packing member 50 which slidably fits insidethe annular member 41 and this member 50- is'ad'apted to engage suitablestuffing material 5I-' disposed' inside the annular sleeve 41 and aroundthe shafts 33 and 34.

Each of these members 50 has oppositely projecting ears penetrated bybolts 53 and 54 which not only slidably penetrate the members 50 butalso slidably penetrate the plates 46' and have nuts 55 spot welded tothe interior surface of the plates 46 and whereby by tightening of thebolts 53 and 54 the member 50 can be pressed into the sleeve 41 totighten the packing or stuff ing material 5I therein and to preventleakage around the shafts 33 and 34. Bolted to the side of the plates45- adjacent the steam box I2 by means of suitable bolts 5'! is anannular flexible diaphragm or sleeve 58 of any suitable material, suchas synthetic rubber, and the other end of the annular member 58 isbolted as at 60 to the side walls of the box I2 surrounding the openings35 and 36. By this arrangement, it i seen that no leakage of steam orpassage of atmosphere can occur around the shafts 34 and 35 withrelation to the interior of the box I2.

Mounted on top of the supports 26 and 21 are also bearin blocks 65 and50 which rotatably receive stub shafts 6! and 6B which shafts 61 and 68have identically the same diaphragm and: other parts as has beendescribed for the shafts 33 and 36, and like reference characters willapply. The proximate ends of shafts. nd

68 have plates 31' and 38 secured thereto, and in the same manner asshown in Figure 15, these plates are secured to a grooved pulley I0.

The top of the steam box I2 has enlarged openings therein which aresealed by suitable covers II and I2 which are clamped in closed positionby any suitable means not shown. The shaft 33 has fixedly securedthereon a sprocket wheel I4 which has mounted thereon a sprocket chainI5 which is also mounted on a sprocket wheel I6.v secured on shaft 61.The outer end of shaft 08 has secured thereon a sprocket wheel 'I I"onwhich. is mounted a sprocket chain I8 which in turn is: mounted on asprocket wheel disposed on an idler shaft 8| mounted in bearings 82 and83 secured on the lower sides of I-beams 23 and I6 respectively. Thisshaft 8| has mounted thereon a sprocket wheel 84 which has mountedthereon a sprocket chain 80 which in turn is mounted on a sprocket wheel83 secured on motor shaft 81 of an electric motor 88 by means of whichrotation is imparted to the grooved pulleys.

II and I0.

Projecting downwardly from the bottom of box I2 are tubes 90 and 9|which communicate with the interior of box I2, and the lower end ofthese tubes communicate with a small box 92 Whichhas mounted therein anidler pulley 93. The tube 9| is surrounded by a housing 94 and insidethe housing 94 the tube 9I is perforated. The housing 94 has an inletpipe 95 which is adapted to be connected to-a suitable source of steamunder low pressure, say around one or two pounds per square inch, andthus steam is admitted into the inside of tube 9| to engage the cloth inits upper travel as it approaches grooved pulley 10. The box I2 isalsosupplied with an opening 98 by means of which steam can also beintroduced to I the interior of the box I2.

The steam box I2 is supported by suitable ver tical angles III) whichrise upwardly from the cross I-beam I8, and at its other end there isconnected to the open end of steam box I2 an outwardly flaring funnelportion I09 which has an inspection door II I in one side thereof, and.whereby access can be gained to the interior of the outwardly flaringportion I09. This outwardly flaring portion is made integral with theright-hand end of steam box I2 in Figures 2 and 3.

The right-hand end of outwardly flaring portion I09 has a flangedportion II2 therearound which is riveted or bolted to a flanged portionII3 of a larger steam box II 4. The funnel portion I09 is supported by atransversely disposed I-beam I I5 which rests on the longitudinallyextending I-beams 23 and 24.

The right-hand end of steam box I2 has a fixed pot eye I I6 thereinthrough which the cloth rope I3 passes into the flaring portion I09.

The longitudinally extending I-beam I6 has mounted thereon a frameworkI20 on which is mounted a bearing I2I. The framework I20 has extendingupwardly therefrom another framework I22 which has mounted thereon abearing I 23. There is a vertically disposed framework I24 risingupwardly from I-beam I 6 which has bearings I25 and I26 mounted on oneside thereof.

Member I24 also has bearings I30 and I36 secured thereon. Mounted in thebearing I2I is a shaft I3'I which has the same packing gland arrangementas previously described for steam box I2 and like. reference characterswill apply with prime notation added. Mounted in bearing I23 is a ShaftI40 which likewise extends into the steam box H4 and has the samepacking gland arrangement as shown and described for the steam box I2and like reference characters will apply. A shaft MI is mounted in abearing I43 secured in the side wall of steam box H4 and this has a bellcrank I44 mounted thereon to which is connected a link I45 which isconnected to an eccentrically disposed pin I46 on a disk I41 secured ona shaft I48 mounted in bearings I30 and I36. Shaft I48 has a sprocketwheel I50 secured thereon and a sprocket chain I5I which is also mountedon a sprocket wheel I52 secured on shaft I40. Shaft I40 has securedthereon a pair of sprocket wheels I55 having sprocket chains I56 thereonwhich are also mounted on a double sprocket I51 mounted on motor shaft81.

On the other side of steam box I I4 there is disposed a framework I60which is disposed on horizontal I-beams I1, and on this frame isdisposed another frame I6I. There is also disposed from I-beam I1 anupright framework I63. Member I63 has mounted thereon bearings I61 andI68 in which a shaft I69 is rotatably mounted which has a disk I securedthereon to which is eccentrically connected a link I1I which isconnected to an arm I12 on a shaft I13 pivoted in bearing I14 in theother side wall of the steam box H4 and also oscillatably mounted in abearing I disposed on the side of frame I63.

On top of frame I6I is disposed a bearing I80 in which a shaft I8I isrotatably. mounted which extends into a packing gland arrangementsimilar to that described for the steam box I2 and like referencecharacters with prime notations will apply.

The framework I60 has also mounted thereon a bearing I85 in which isrotatably mounted'a shaft I86 which extends through a packing glandarrangement to the interior of the steam box I I4 similar to thatdescribed for steam box I2 and like reference characters with primenotations added will apply.

The shaft I86 had fixed thereon a sprocket wheel I88 on which is mounteda sprocket chain I89 which is also mounted on a sprocket wheel I90disposed on the shaft I8I. The shaft I8I has a sprocket wheel I92 fixedthereon on which is mounted a sprocket chain I93 which is also mountedon a sprocket wheel I94 fixed on the shaft I69. The shafts I48 and I69give oscillatory movement to the shafts MI and I13 respectively. Theseshafts I I-I and I13 respectively project to the inside of the steam boxH4 and have secured adjacent the side walls of the steam box II4 but onthe interior thereof arms I95 which are fixedly secured to a funnelshaped member I96 which extends across practically the whole width ofthe steam box H4 and through which the cloth rope 96 is adapted to bepassed. The cloth rope however after passing through the pot eye I I6 inthe end wall of steam box I2 passes through a movable pot eye 200 whichis mounted for oscillation back-and-forth on a reversely threaded shaftI31.

The shaft I31 extends through the bearing glands on each side of thesteam box II4 which are the bearing glands nearest the steam box I2.This shaft can be removed through the packing glands when it is desiredb causing the traveling pot eye to be disengaged therefrom.

Surrounding the shaft I31 and welded to the side walls of steam box H4is a trough 202 and overshadowing this trough in spaced relation theretois a cover 203 which likewise is welded inside the cover 203 and outsidethe trough 202 Secured to the exterior surfaces of the member 206 is aninverted U-shaped member 208 which projects upwardly and has the pot eye200 welded thereto.

It is therefore seen that rotation of the shaft I31 will cause the poteye 200 to move back-andforth from one side of the steam box II4 to theother, and the cloth rope I3 will pass over a roller 2I0 which issecured at its ends to the shafts I40 and I8I by means of plates ZII and2I2 being fixed on the ends of these shafts which project through thepacking glands and to the inside of the steam box II4, these platesbeing secured by any suitable means to the ends of the drum 2I0 such asbolts 2I5 so that the bolts 2I5 can be removed and the drum 2I6 removedupwardly out of the steam box when the door 2I1 is removed and likewisethe shafts I40 and I8I along with their plates 2 and 2I2v can be broughtout through the packing glands since the openings covered by the packingglands are large enough to allow these plates to be withdrawn throughthe packin glands in the same manner as fully described relative to thesteam box I2.

It is thus seen that the pot eye 200 gives a back-and-forth movement ofthe cloth rope I3 and directs it into the funnel shaped member I96 whichhas a breadth substantially the same as the steam box II4. And it isalso seen that this funnel shaped member I66 is oscillatedback-and-forth, that is, towards and away from the steam box I2 whilethe cloth rope I3 is passing therethrough. This funnel shaped member I96projects downwardly into a downwardly projecting portion of the steambox H4 and this downwardly projecting portion is connected to the longleg of a J-box 225 which has connected thereto as at 226 a curvedirregularly U-shaped portion 221. The cloth, by the back-and-forthmovement of the funnel shaped member I96, such as to the right and leftas indicated by the arrows in Figure 13, and the transverse movementimparted to the pot eye 260, causes the cloth rope to be deposited intothe J-box in a substantially figure 8 pattern where there will besubstantially slack and provides an ample quantity of the cloth during asteaming and bleaching operation, as the steam is forced downwardly inthe J-box portion 225 and into the portion 221. The portion .221projects upwardly and has connected thereto as at 230 a cap or closureportion 23I which has a vane 232 extending transversely thereof and overwhich the cloth rope I3 rides. The upper end of the cap member 23I has apot eye 235 therein which is substantially closed by the outgoin rope I3and thus prevents any substantial amount of steam leakage therethrough.Secured on the uppermost portion of the cap 23! is a vent pipe 240 whichis surrounded by an annular member 24I of substantially a greaterdiameter than the portion 240. This member 24I has an annular member 242secured to its inner side wall and stopping short of the exterior ofannular member 240.

Secured to the annular member 242 is an upwardly rising vent pipe 243 sothat the steam may escape through member 240 and into pipe 242 and itscondensate will fall downwardly between the annular member 242 and themember 240and drain outwardly through a drain pipe 245.

The member 23! has secured thereto a pair of angle members 246 whichhave secured therein a roller 241 over which the cloth rope l3 passes asit leaves the J-box. The cap member 23| has an inspection opening closedby an inspection door 248 and whereby access can be secured to the capmember 23 I.

It is thus seen that I have provided a continuous bleaching apparatus inwhich the cloth can be treated with an desired chemical such asperoxide, or any other suitable chemical and led through a steaming boxand then deposited into an elongated J-box where the bleaching processis carried to completion.

One of the main advantages of the present apparatus is the steamingboxes having the rotary portions thereof housed for rotation in thesteaming boxes and having the driving shafts or supporting shaftspenetrating the side walls of the steaming boxes and having a packinggland and an enlarged opening whereby the rollers, pulleys and the likecan be removed from the shafts, and the shafts brought through theenlarged openings in the side walls of the box and the rollers, pulleys,and the like can be lifted out through the openings in the tops of theboxes, and thus no leakage occurs whatever between the shaftspenetrating the side walls of the boxes and the walls of the openingsthrough which they project.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferredembodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not forpurposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in theclaims.

I claim:

1. In a continuous cloth bleaching apparatus having a steam box providedwith means for passing cloth therethrough in rope form, and having meansfor admitting steam to the steam box, a pair of grooved pulleys in thesteam box over which the cloth is passed, a shaft connected to each sideof each pulley and projecting through the walls of the steam box, saidside walls of the steam box having an enlarged opening through which theshafts project, a flexible annular member having one end secured to theexterior of the box and surrounding the openings through which l theshafts pass, a verticall disposed support separate from the steam boxthrough which the shafts also pass and being in spaced relationoutwardly from the walls of the steam box means for securing the otherend of the annular flexible member to said vertically disposed support,a packing gland supported by the vertically disposed support forpreventing passage of steam or air through the acking gland, theconnection of said shafts to said pulleys comprising a plate secured onthe proximate ends of the shafts and means for securing the plates tothe opposed sides of the pulleys whereby when it is desired to removethe shafts the pulle can be separated from the shafts and the shafts andplates associated with the ends thereof can be moved through saidopenings covered by the annular flexible member.

2. In a continuous cloth bleaching apparatus having a steam box providedwith means for passing cloth therethrough in rope form,- said steam boxhaving a pair of downwardly projecting spaced tubes having their upperends communicating with the bottom of the steam box and having a pulleyat their lower ends, a pair of pulleys mounted in the steam box, thecloth being adapted to enter one end of the steam box and pass over oneof said pulleys and down through one of said tubes and back up throughthe other tube and over the second pulley, the side walls of the steambox having enlarged openings in its side walls, a pair of shafts foreach pulle extending from the exterior of the steam box to the interiorthereof, the proximate ends of the shafts having plates thereon slightlysmaller in diameter than the diameter of the openings in the side Wallsof the steam box, means for securing the plates to opposed sides of saidpulleys, the shafts projecting outwardly through the openings in theside walls of the steam box a substantial distance, an annular flexiblemember disposed around each of the shafts and having one end secured tothe exterior of the side Walls of the steam box, a vertically disposedplate member having an opening through which the shafts project on eachsid of the steam box, a packing gland associated with the verticallydisposed plates and surrounding said shafts, the annular flexible memberhaving its outer end secured to. the interior surface of said verticallydisposed plates, the top of the steam box having openings therein closedby suitable lids whereby when it is desired to remove one of the pulleysor the shafts, the shafts can be separated from the pulleys and thepulleys can be removed through the top of the steam box and the shaftscan be moved outwardly through the openings in the side Walls of thesteam box after removal of one end of the annular flexible member fromits supports.

3. In a continuous cloth bleaching apparatus, having a .steam boxprovided with means for passing the cloth therethrough in rope form, apair of pulleys mounted for rotation in the steam box and over which thecloth is passed, the side walls of the steam box having alined openingsof substantial size therein, bearings disposed outside the steam box andin which a pair of shafts are mounted, the inner ends of the shaftshaving plates secured thereto of lesser dimensions than the dimensionsof the holes in the sides of the steam box, means for securing theplates on the proximate ends of the shaft to the sides of the pulley, atubular flexible diaphragm having one end secured to the exterior of thesteam box and surrounding the opening in the steam box at each sidethereof, a vertically disposed plate member disposed exteriorly of thesteam box and in spaced relation to the side walls thereof and supportedby means separated from the steam box, means for securing the outer endof the tubular diaphragm member to said plate member wherebythe leakageof steam or air through the openings in the side walls of the steam boxis eliminated and whereby the pulleys can be detached from the shaft andremoved from the top of the steam box and the shaft can be removedthrough the holes in the side of the steam box by removing the tubulardiaphragm members.

4. In a continuous cloth bleaching apparatus having a steam box providedwith means for passing the cloth therethrough in rope form in acontinuous bleaching operation, said steam box having a pair of spacedpulleys mounted therein and having a pair of downwardly projecting tubeshaving a pulley mounted at the lower ends thereof, means enclosing thelatter named pulley and the lower ends of the tubes whereby the clothcan be passed into the steam box and over one pulley and down one tubeand over the pulley at the lower end of the tubes and upwardly throughthe other tube and over the second pulley, means for mounting thepulleys comprising the side walls of the steam box each having a pair ofopenings therein of substantial size, a framework for supporting thesteam box and having uprising portions on each side of the steam boxdisposed outside of the steam box and a pair of stub shafts mounted inthe uprising portions of the framework on each side of the steam box andprojecting through said openings, the proximate ends of the shafts whichpenetrate the openings in the steam box having plates thereon of lesserdimensions than the openings in the sides of the steam box, means forsecuring the plates to the sides of the pulleys, a flexibletubutherefrom, and means for securing the outer end of the flexiblediaphragm member to said plate, said plate having an openingtherethrough through which stub shaft passes and a packing glandassociated with the last-named plate and with said shaft for preventingsteam or air from escaping from or entering the steam box through theopenings in the side thereof.

5. A steam box having side walls and a door in the top thereof and aframework disposed exteriorly of and in spaced relation to each of theside walls, means for passing cloth in rope form through the steam box,each of the side walls having an enlarged opening therein, a shaftrotatably mounted on each side of the side walls and exteriorly thereofand extending through the opening in the side walls, a grooved pulleysecured to each of the proximate ends of the shafts and over which thecloth is passed, said pulley being removable through the door disposedin the top of the steam box, a tubular flexible member having one endremovably secured to the exterior of the side walls of the steam box andsurrounding the opening therein, the tubular flexible member extendingaway from the steam box and having its other end extending a substantialdistance away from the steam box, a plate member supported independentlyof the steam box and penetrated by the shaft, means for securing theother end of the tubular flexible member to the plate member, and apacking and extending away from each other, each of the side walls ofthe steam box having an enlarged opening therethrough through which theshafts project, a framework supporting the steam box, a pair of platessupported by the framework and extending upwardly in substantiallyvertical position and in spaced relation to the exterior of the sidewalls of the steam box, a tubular flexible member having one end securedto the exterior of the side walls of the steam box and having its otherend secured to the plate member and surrounding said shaft, the shaftpenetrating the plate member, each of the plate members having a packinggland assembly associated therewith and through which the shaft passeswhereby ingress or egress of steam or air is prevented from entering thesteam box through the said openings and whereby the shafts can beremoved from the steam box after being separated from the pulleys bypassing the same through the enlarged openings in the side walls of thesteam box.

7. An enclosure having means for passing cloth therethrough in rope formand having a pair of side walls provided with enlarged openings opposedto each other, a pulley disposed within the enclosure, a pair of shaftshaving plates on their proximate ends and means for securing the platesto the pulleys, the shafts projecting outwardly through said openings asubstantial distance away from the enclosure, a pair of bearings foreach shaft for rotatably mounting the shafts exteriorly of theenclosure, a vertically disposed plate disposed between each bearing andeach of the side walls of the enclosure and supported independently ofthe steam box and through which the shafts pass a tubular flexiblemember surrounding each of the shafts and disposed between the sidewalls of the enclosure and each of said plates and having the endsthereof secured to the exterior of the side walls of the enclosure andto the plate and a packing gland assembly disposed on each plate memberand surrounding said shaft for preventing leakage of steam or air intoor out of the enclosure through the openings in the side walls of theenclosure.

HENRY A. DAMERON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

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